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Re: Quackgrass and Plastic Mulch
Robert: I have used 6 mil black poly, doubled, as an edge around my
garden, to keep the adjoining lawn (which includes quackgrass,
originally having been a pasture) from growing into my garden. The
quackgrass has no trouble getting straight through two layers of 6
mil poly, usually within a year. However, I also use black poly (one
layer) as a surface cover to kill off patches of garden that have had
a history of grass encroachment. I typically leave it covered for
about two years, although I have not tried any shorter period - might
still work. This works very well to kill quack and other perennial
weed species. I then open it up in the spring, let it dry out, and
till it a few times before making beds and planting. I allow any
residual perennial weed growth time to happen - and work it out
manually - before making the beds and planting. There is typically
very little life left in the quack after two years in the dark, but I
want to be sure there is none. Having a little bit of quack grass in
my garden is like being a little bit pregnant!
I remember a humorous (I hope) quote from a couple of organic
gardeners, that they removed quackgrass rhizomes etc. manually by
screening sections of the garden, one at a time. They then let the
rhizomes dry out and burned them, being careful where they put the
ashes! Ann
ACLARK@crop.uoguelph.ca
Dr. E. Ann Clark
Associate Professor
Crop Science
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON N1G 2W1
Phone: 519-824-4120 Ext. 2508
FAX: 519 763-8933